Container system with locking tabs

ABSTRACT

A container includes a lid and a base, each having a first and second component of an interlocking interface, the first component having a folding portion, and the second component having a boss. The folding portion has a receiving area to receive the boss and connected to either the lid or base and movable between a position of secure and releasable engagement with the boss and a position of disengagement with the boss. Upon a closing engagement of the lid and the base, a respective portion of the periphery of the base has one of the folding portion and an opposing portion of the periphery of the lid has the other of the folding portion and the boss, so that the respective opposing portions of the lid and base are secured with one another by engagement of the folding portion with the boss.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional application No. 62/852,072, filed May 23, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a locking container system, for example of the type used to store and transport food.

2. Description of the Related Art

On-the-go food storage containers have become increasingly prevalent in today's busy society. More and more people are eating on the go. Eating on the go however creates unique problems with traditional food take out containers that have yet to be addressed.

For example, food storage containers with traditional locking features are typically not well secured and can easily and unintentionally be opened. For people ordering take out and for food delivery drivers this can make transporting difficult, messy and unsanitary. Since most restaurants seek to increase, or at uncertain times, replace, sales through online ordering and delivery, or customer store pick-up, it is beneficial to use a container that enhances the consumer's take out dining experience.

Although there are some secure locking features in existing take-out food packages, they often rely on undercut features. Undercut features are very challenging to produce in molded fiber operations, but also inhibit optimization of shipping.

For example, during manufacturing, the overhanging features do not allow the formed parts to easily separate from the mold in many cases, and they create empty spaces between each container when stacked, which hinders shipping efficiencies. There is a great advantage to a locking mechanism that does not require undercut features, to increase ease of manufacturing and to lower shipping costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is directed to a hinged clamshell container or a two-part container, formed of molded pulp and/or a thermoformed plastic material. A lid and/or base of the container comprises an interlocking interface including but not limited to folding portions that securely attach to at least one boss on the base and/or lid portion to keep the container system closed and secure during transport.

The present invention is also directed to a system comprising a base container and lid, either separate or attached by a connecting hinge, that can be configured in but not limited to a circle, oval or any other rectilinear like shape. The system according to the present invention is a food container that comprises a folding tab locking mechanism wherein said tabs engage on bosses on the opposing part. The system may include at least one base container and one lid or one part that acts as both, that can be formed in a multitude of different materials including but not limited to molded pulp fiber, PP, PET, PS, or other commonly thermoformed polymers. Such materials are safe for food contact. The base and/or lid may comprise boss features that allow for folding tabs from the former/latter part to engage therewith.

The part with the folding tab features, be it the base or the lid or both, may include one or more tab features on one side of the part directly opposed each other, tab features diagonally from each other, or both. This is including but not limited to a single tab feature with a single boss on the opposing part or multiple tab features with an equal number of bosses for them to engage with on the counterpart.

According to one aspect of the invention, a container includes a lid; and a base. Each of the lid and the base have at least one selected from the group consisting of a first and second component of an interlocking interface, the first component, e.g., a tab, including a folding portion, and the second component including a boss. The folding portion has a receiving area dimensioned to receive the boss and is connected about a hinge to the component to which it is attached, e.g., the lid or base. The folding portion moves about the hinge between a position of secure and releasable engagement with the boss and a position of disengagement with the boss. The boss and the folding portion are configured such that upon a closing engagement of the lid and the base, a respective portion of the periphery of the base has one of the folding portion and an opposing portion of the periphery of the lid has the other of the folding portion and the boss, so that the respective opposing portions of the lid and base are securely and releasably engageable with one another by manipulation of the respective folding portion over the respective boss.

In another aspect, secure engagement of the boss and the folding portion is maintained by friction between the boss and the folding portion.

In another aspect, the base and the lid are attached to one another by a connecting hinge.

In another aspect, all of the interlocking interfaces on the lid are the first component and all of the interlocking interfaces on the base are the second component.

In another aspect, all of the interlocking interfaces on the base are the first component and all of the interlocking interfaces on the lid are the second component.

In another aspect, each of the lid and the base has at least three corners and two of the at least three corners of the lid comprise one selected from the group consisting of the first component and the second component, and two of the at least three corners of the base comprise the other one from the group consisting of the first component and the second component.

In another aspect, the respective opposing portions of the lid and base comprise four longitudinally extending bosses on the base and four longitudinally extending folding tabs on the lid.

In another aspect, each of the base and the lid is made of molded pulp and/or a thermoformed plastic material.

In another aspect, one or both of the lid and base is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of molded pulp fiber, PP, PET and PS.

In another aspect, the base comprises one or more dividers that span across the base to creating separate compartments.

In another aspect, the compartments are configured to provide a 50/50 division, a one-third to two-thirds division, or an evenly divided three-way division.

In another aspect, the folding portion has an arcuate domed indentation that engages a respective boss

In another aspect, the folding portion has an opening that engages a respective boss.

In another aspect, each of the folding portions is configured so as to be biased towards its disengaged position.

The base and lid may also include one or more dividers that span across the base creating fully separate compartments. The compartments may be configured in a number of ways including but not limited to (50/50) split, (33/66) split, or (33/33/33) split.

A key component of the invention is its simplicity and ease of operation. The folding tab features and designated bosses in the opposing part are intuitive to use and require little to no training. Closing and opening said parts should require little force and create a secure fit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1-7 show plural views of an embodiment in which a container lid is connected to a container base and in which two bosses are provided on the base container, and two folding tabs are provided on free corners of the connected lid;

FIGS. 8-11 show plural views of an embodiment in which the lid is connected to the base container and in which two bosses are provided on the base container, but with two folding tabs provided on the connected lid that are modified from the folding tabs shown in FIGS. 1-7;

FIGS. 12-15 show plural views of an embodiment in which the lid is not connected to the base container and in which four bosses are provided on the base container, and four folding tabs are provided on the connected lid;

FIGS. 16-19 show plural views of an embodiment in which the lid is connected to the base container and in which two bosses are provided on the lid, and two folding tabs are provided on the base container;

FIGS. 20-23 are views of a container system in which the system has two identical and unconnected portions, each having a pair of bosses and a pair of folding tabs, configured to attach one of the identical portions to the other to form the container system;

FIGS. 24-27 show plural views of an embodiment in which the lid is separate from the base container and in which four longitudinally extending bosses are provided on the base container, and four longitudinally extending folding tabs are provided on the connected lid; and

FIGS. 28-31 are views of a container system having two identical and unconnected portions, each having a pair of bosses at opposite corners and a pair of folding tabs at opposite corners, configured to attach one of the identical portions to the other to form the container system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS

Corresponding portions among the various embodiments are assigned the same or similar reference numerals in the figures.

FIGS. 1-7 show plural views of a first embodiment of a container system 1 in which a lid 10 is connected to a base container 12 by a connecting hinge 120. In this embodiment, the base container 12 has two connecting bosses 14 a and 14 b provided at corners of the base container 12, on a side of the base container 12 opposite the connecting hinge 120. The lid 10 has two respective folding tabs 16 a and 16 b, provided at corners of the lid 10, on a side of the lid 10 opposite the connecting hinge 120. The combination of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface of container system 1.

By this arrangement, (see FIG. 2) as the lid 10 is closed/lowered by a user via the connecting hinge 120 (in the downward direction of the arrow), the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b are brought towards the connecting bosses 14 a and 14 b, respectively. The folding tabs each include a hinge 17 a, 17 b to allow a portion of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b to fold down so as to enable the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b to securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14 a, 14 b.

This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, respectively, to be tucked down, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 3, so as to catch the bosses 14 a and 14 b in the respective hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b of the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b.

Once the folding tabs have been folded down, and the downward pressure on the lid 10 by the user is released, the bosses 14 a, 14 b are securely engaged by a combination of the slight spring force applied to the lid upwardly by the lid's continued connection to the connecting hinge 120, and by the complementary shaping of the bosses 14 a, 14 b, each of which has a downwardly extending lip, and the hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b of the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b, as can be seen in FIG. 4, which has a see-through view of the hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b so the that the relative position of the corresponding engaged bosses 14 a and 14 b, respectively, can be seen. Contributing to the security of the engagement is that the preferred materials of the container system have a somewhat rough texture, allowing a friction force to further assist in maintaining the bosses 14 a, 14 b in the respective hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b of the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the container system 1 according to this embodiment in the open position. FIG. 6 is a side view of the container system 1 according to this embodiment in the closed position. FIG. 7 is a side view of the container system 1 according to this embodiment in the open position.

As best seen in FIG. 5, two base container bottom bosses 47 a, 47 b, are arranged on one side of the inner bottom surface, and a third base container bottom boss 47 c is arranged on an opposite side of the inner bottom surface. These bosses are formed by an indentation on the bottom surface of the base container being formed when the base container is made, preferably by a molding process. The bosses of a base container can be oriented with respect to other instances of the bosses of a second base container to allow for even spacing between each container, which assists in easy separation of like components from a tightly stacked pile.

The containers can also be arranged, in stacking, in alternating fashion. In this arrangement, the two bosses 47 a and 47 b of a first container are arranged over (or under) a single boss 47 c of any adjacently stacked container (i.e., below or above, respectively). This allows the containers to be separated from one another more easily because the contact surface, and hence frictional engagement, between adjacent containers is minimized. It should be noted that the base container bottom bosses are not limited to the first embodiment, and may be used in all embodiments and variations thereof, such as those described hereinafter.

FIGS. 8-11 show plural views of a second embodiment of a container system 100 substantially the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 except that the folding tabs are structured differently. All reference numbers remain the same in FIGS. 8-11 except that the folding tabs that are structured differently from those shown in FIGS. 1-7 are assigned reference numerals 16 c and 16 d, respectively.

Just as in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7, in this second embodiment, the lid 10 is connected to the base container 12 and two bosses 14 a, 14 b are provided on the base container 12. But in the second embodiment, the two folding tabs 16 c and 16 d, instead of having the hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b, have cutouts 18 c and 18 d provided in the respective folding tabs 16 c and 16 d. The combination of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface therebetween.

By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIG. 9, as the lid 10 is closed/lowered by a user via the connecting hinge 120 (in the downward direction of the arrow), the folding tabs 16 c and 16 d are brought towards the connecting bosses 14 a and 14 b, respectively. The folding tabs each include a hinge, 17 c, 17 d, respectively, to allow a portion of the folding tabs 16 c, 16 d to fold down so as to enable the folding tabs 16 c, 16 d to securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14 a, 14 b.

This secure engagement is effected by the cutouts 18 c and 18 d of the folding tabs 16 c, 16 d, respectively, being tucked down, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 10, so as to catch the bosses 14 a and 14 b in the respective cutouts 18 c and 18 d in the respective folding tabs 16 c and 16 d.

Once the folding tabs have been folded down, and the downward pressure on the lid 10 is released, the bosses 14 a, 14 b are securely engaged by a combination of the slight spring force applied to the lid upwardly by the lid's continued connection to the connecting hinge 120, and by the complementary shaping of the bosses 14 a, 14 b, each of which has a downwardly extending lip, and the cutouts 18 c and 18 d in the respective folding tabs 16 c and 16 d, as can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 11. As in the above-described first embodiment, the engagement is assisted due to the somewhat rough texture of the material, allowing a friction force to further assist in maintaining the bosses 14 a, 14 b in the respective cutouts 18 c and 18 d in the respective folding tabs 16 c and 16 d.

FIGS. 12-15 show plural views of a third embodiment of a container system 200. In this embodiment, the lid 110 and the base container 122 are not connected to one another until the lid 110 is lowered and engaged to the base container 122. That is, as can be seen in FIGS. 12-15, no connecting hinge connects the lid and the base container in the open position. Another difference between this embodiment and the first two embodiments discussed above is that the base container has a boss at each of its four upper corners and the lid has a respective folding tab at each of its four corners.

Thus, when the lid is positioned to close the container system 200, each of the four folding tabs are folded over to catch a respective boss at a corner of the container system 200.

In this third embodiment 200, the four folding tabs are substantially identical to the two folding tabs 16 a and 16 b of the first embodiment, and the four bosses are substantially identical to the two bosses 14 a and 14 b of the first embodiment. Thus, the four folding tabs in FIGS. 12-15 are labeled 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f, respectively, and the four bosses of the base container 122 are labeled 14 a, 14 b, 14 c and 14 d, respectively. The combination of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface of the container system 200.

By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 12-15, as the lid 110 is closed (in the downward direction of the arrow), the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f are brought towards the connecting bosses 14 a, 14 b, 14 c and 14 d, respectively. The folding tabs each include a hinge, 17 a, 17 b, 17 e and 17 f, respectively, to allow a portion of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f to fold down so as to enable the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f on the lid 110 to securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14 a, 14 b, 14 c and 14 d on the base container 122.

This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out portions 18 a, 18 b, 18 e and 18 f of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f, respectively, to be tucked down, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 14, so as to catch the bosses 14 a, 14 b, 14 c and 14 d in the respective hollowed-out portions 18 a, 18 b, 18 e and 18 f of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f.

Once the folding tabs have been folded down, the bosses 14 a, 14 b, 14 c and 14 d are securely engaged by the complementary shaping of the bosses 14 a, 14 b, 14 c and 14 d, each of which has a downwardly extending lip, and the hollowed-out portions 18 a, 18 b, 18 e and 18 f of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f, as can be seen in FIGS. 14 and 15. As above, the preferred materials of the container system have a somewhat rough texture, allowing a friction force to further assist in maintaining the bosses 14 a, 14 b, 14 c and 14 d in the respective hollowed-out portions 18 a, 18 b, 18 e and 18 f of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f.

FIGS. 16-19 show plural views of a fourth embodiment of a container system 300 in which the lid is connected to the base container and in which two bosses 14 a and 14 b are provided on the connected lid, and two folding tabs 16 a and 16 b are provided on the base container.

As can be seen by a comparison FIGS. 16-19 with the first embodiment of FIGS. 1-7, the fourth embodiment is conceptually the same as the first embodiment, except that the structural elements are upside down, and preferably the base portion 320 has a greater depth dimension than the lid 310 due to the fact that the base is used as the food storage portion of the container, while the lid only needs to cover the top of the base. In this fourth embodiment, two bosses 14 a and 14 b are provided on the connected lid 310, and two folding tabs 16 a and 16 b are provided on the base container 320. The bosses and the folding tabs function substantially similarly as in the first embodiment except that the folding tabs fold upwardly to engage the bosses on the lid.

By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIG. 17, as the lid 310 is closed/lowered by a user via the connecting hinge 120 (in the downward direction of the arrow), the connecting bosses 14 a and 14 b of the lid 310 are brought towards the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b, respectively, of the base 320. The folding tabs 16 a and 16 b on the base each include a hinge 17 a, 17 b, respectively, to allow a portion of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b to fold upwardly so as to enable the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b of the base 320 to securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14 a, 14 b of the lid 310.

This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, respectively, to be tucked upwardly, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 18, so as to catch the bosses 14 a and 14 b in the respective hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b of the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b.

Once the folding tabs have been folded up, and the downward pressure on the lid 310 by the user is released, the bosses 14 a, 14 b are securely engaged by a combination of the slight spring force applied to the lid upwardly by the lid's continued connection to the connecting hinge 120, and by the complementary shaping of the bosses 14 a, 14 b, each of which has an upwardly extending lip, and the hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b of the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b, as can be seen in FIG. 19, which has a see-through view of the hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b so the that the relative position of the corresponding engaged bosses 14 a and 14 b, respectively, can be seen. Contributing to the security of the engagement is that the preferred materials of the container system have a somewhat rough texture, allowing a friction force to further assist in maintaining the bosses 14 a, 14 b in the respective hollowed-out portions 18 a and 18 b of the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b.

FIGS. 20-23 are views of a container system 400 according to a fifth embodiment in which the system has two identical and unconnected portions, each having a pair of bosses and a pair of folding tabs. The two components forming the system are each identical and configured to attach to one another using the two pairs of bosses and the two pairs of folding tabs, to form the container system 400. Since the component parts are identical, it is arbitrary which one is referred to as the base container and which one is referred to as the lid. For simplicity of explanation, the lower component in FIGS. 20-23 will be referred to as the base container 420 and the upper component will be referred to as the lid 410.

In this fifth embodiment, the lid 410 and the base container 420 are not connected to one another until the lid 410 is lowered and engaged to the base container 420. That is, as can be seen in FIGS. 20-23, no connecting hinge connects the lid and the base container in the open position of this container system 400. In this embodiment the base container 420 has a boss at each of two of its four upper corners, and a boss at each of its remaining two corners, and the lid is structured in exactly the same manner. Thus, when the lid is lowered, to close the container system 400, each of the four folding tabs (two on each component) are folded over to catch a respective boss (two on each component) at respective corners of the container system 400.

In this fifth embodiment, the four folding tabs distributed between the lid 410 and the base container 420 are substantially identical to the two folding tabs 16 a and 16 b of the first embodiment, and the four bosses distributed between the lid 410 and the base container 420 are substantially identical to the two bosses 14 a and 14 b of the first embodiment. Thus, the four folding tabs in FIGS. 20-23 are labeled 16 a, 16 b (for the folding tabs on the base container), and 16 a′ and 16 b′ (for the folding tabs on the lid), respectively, and the four bosses are labeled 14 a and 14 b (for the bosses on the base container), 14 a′ and 14 b′ (for the bosses on the lid). The combination of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface of the container system 400.

By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 20-23, as the lid 410 is closed/lowered by a user (in the downward direction of the arrow), the folding tabs 16 a′ and 16 b′ of the lid 410 are brought towards the connecting bosses 14 a and 14 b of the base container 420, and the bosses 14 a′ and 14 b′ of the lid 410 are brought towards the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b of the base container 420. Just as in the first embodiment, and as can be seen from FIGS. 20-23, the folding tabs each include a hinge, to allow a portion of the folding tabs to fold, up or down as the case may be, so as to enable the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 a′ and 16 b′ to securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14 a′, 14 b′, 14 a and 14 b.

This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out portions, formed exactly as in the first embodiment, of each of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 a′ and 16 b′, respectively, to be tucked, up or down as the case may be, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 22, so as to catch the bosses 14 a′, 14 b′, 14 a and 14 b in the respective hollowed-out portions of the folding tabs.

Once the folding tabs have been folded, up or down as the case may be, the bosses 14 a′, 14 b′, 14 a and 14 b are securely engaged by the complementary shaping of the bosses, each of which has an extending lip, and the hollowed-out portions of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 a′ and 16 b′, as can be seen in FIGS. 22 and 23. As above, the preferred materials of the container system have a somewhat rough texture, allowing a friction force to be applied to maintain the bosses 14 a′, 14 b′, 14 a and 14 b in the respective hollowed-out portions of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 a′ and 16 b′.

FIGS. 24-27 show plural views of a container system 500 according to a sixth embodiment in which the lid 510 is not connected to the base container 520 and in which four longitudinally extending bosses 14 w, 14 x, 14 y, and 14 z are provided on the base container 520, and four longitudinally extending folding tabs 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z are provided on the connected lid.

In this embodiment, the lid 510 and the base container 520 are not connected to one another until the lid 510 is engaged to the base container 520. That is, as can be seen in FIGS. 24-27, no connecting hinge connects the lid and the base container in the open position of this container system 500. A difference between this embodiment and the embodiments discussed above is that the base container has a boss at each of its four longitudinal sides and the lid has a respective elongate folding tab at each of its four longitudinal sides. Thus, when the lid is lowered, to close the container system 500, each of the four folding tabs are folded over to catch a respective boss at a side of the container system 500.

That is, in this sixth embodiment, the four folding tabs are elongated in comparison to the corner-located folding tabs of the embodiments discussed above, and the four bosses are also similarly elongated in comparison the corner-located bosses of the embodiments discussed above. The four folding tabs in FIGS. 24-27 are labeled 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z, respectively, and the four bosses of the base container 520 are labeled 14 w, 14 x, 14 y and 14 z, respectively. The combination of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface of the container system 500.

By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 24-27, as the lid 510 is closed/lowered by a user, the folding tabs 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z are brought towards the connecting bosses 14 w, 14 x, 14 y and 14 z, respectively. The folding tabs each include an elongated hinge 530 to allow the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 e and 16 f to fold down so as to enable the folding tabs 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z to securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14 w, 14 x, 14 y and 14 z.

This secure engagement is effected by engagement of elongated hollowed-out portions 18 w, 18 x, 18 y and 18 z of the elongated folding tabs 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z, respectively, to be tucked down, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 26, so as to receive the elongated bosses 14 w, 14 x, 14 y and 14 z in the respective elongated hollowed-out portions 18 w, 18 x, 18 y and 18 z of the folding tabs 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z.

Once the elongated folding tabs 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z have been folded down, the elongated bosses 14 w, 14 x, 14 y and 14 z are securely engaged by the complementary shaping of the elongated bosses 14 w, 14 x, 14 y and 14 z, each of which has an elongated downwardly extending lip, and the elongated hollowed-out portions 18 w, 18 x, 18 y and 18 z of the folding tabs 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z, as can be seen in FIGS. 26 and 27. Contributing to the security of the engagement is that the container material has a somewhat rough texture, allowed a friction force to be applied to maintain the elongated bosses 14 w, 14 x, 14 y and 14 z in the respective elongated hollowed-out portions 18 w, 18 x, 18 y and 18 z of the folding tabs 16 w, 16 x, 16 y and 16 z.

FIGS. 28-31 are views of a container system 600 according to a seventh embodiment in which the system 600 has two identical and unconnected portions 610 and 620, each having a pair of bosses at one set of opposite corners and a pair of folding tabs at another set of opposite corners, configured to attach one of the identical portions to the other to form the container system 600.

Since the component parts 610 and 620 are identical, it is arbitrary which one is referred to as the base container and which one is referred to as the lid. For simplicity, the lower component in FIGS. 28-31 will be referred to as the base container 620 and the upper component will be referred to as the lid 610.

In this seventh embodiment, the lid 610 and the base container 620 are not connected to one another until the lid 610 is lowered and engaged to the base container 620. That is, as can be seen in FIGS. 28-31, no connecting hinge connects the lid and the base container in the open position of this container system 600. In this embodiment the base container has a boss at each of two opposing corners among its four upper corners, and a boss at each of its remaining two opposing corners and the lid is structured in exactly the same manner. Thus, when the lid is positioned to close the container system 600, each of the four folding tabs (two on each component) are folded over to catch a respective boss (two on each component) at respective corners of the container system 600.

In this seventh embodiment, the four folding tabs distributed between the lid 610 and the base container 620 are substantially identical to the two folding tabs 16 a and 16 b of the first embodiment, and the four bosses distributed between the lid 610 and the base container 620 are substantially identical to the two bosses 14 a and 14 b of the first embodiment. Thus, the four folding tabs in FIGS. 28-31 are labeled 16 a, 16 b (for the folding tabs on the base container 620), and 16 a′ and 16 b′ (for the folding tabs on the lid 610), respectively, and the four bosses are labeled 14 a and 14 b (for the bosses on the base container 620), 14 a′ and 14 b′ (for the bosses on the lid 610). The combination of the folding tabs and the connecting bosses form an interlocking interface of the container system 600.

By this arrangement, as can be seen in FIGS. 28-31, as the lid 610 is closed/lowered by a user, the folding tabs 16 a′ and 16 b′ of the lid 610 are brought towards the connecting bosses 14 a and 14 b of the base container 620, and the bosses 14 a′ and 14 b′ of the lid 410 are brought towards the folding tabs 16 a and 16 b of the base container 620. Just as in the first embodiment, and as can be seen from FIGS. 28-31, the folding tabs each include a hinge, to allow a portion of the folding tabs to fold, up or down, as the case may be, so as to enable the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 a′ and 16 b′ to securely engage the respective connecting bosses 14 a′, 14 b′, 14 a and 14 b.

This secure engagement is effected by engagement of hollowed-out portions, formed exactly as in the first embodiment, of each of the folding tabs 16 a, 16 b, 16 a′ and 16 b′, respectively, to be tucked, up or down as the case may be, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 30, so as to catch the bosses 14 a′, 14 b′, 14 a and 14 b in the respective hollowed-out portions of the folding tabs.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein. 

1. A container, comprising: a lid; and a base, each of the lid and the base having at least one selected from the group consisting of a first and second component of an interlocking interface, the first component comprising a folding portion, and the second component comprising a boss, the folding portion having a receiving area dimensioned to receive the boss and being hingedly connected about a hinge to one of the lid and the base and movable about the hinge between a position of secure and releasable engagement with the boss and a position of disengagement with the boss, the boss being connected to the other of the base and lid, the boss and the folding portion being configured such that upon a closing engagement of the lid and the base, a respective portion of the periphery of the base has one of the folding portion and an opposing portion of the periphery of the lid has the other of the folding portion and the boss, so that the respective opposing portions of the lid and base are securely and releasably engageable with one another by manipulation of the respective folding portion over the respective boss, wherein secure engagement of the boss and the folding portion is maintained by friction between the boss and the folding portion.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The container according to claim 1, wherein the base and the lid are attached to one another by a connecting hinge.
 4. The container according to claim 1, wherein all of the interlocking interfaces on the lid are the first component and all of the interlocking interfaces on the base are the second component.
 5. The container according to claim 1, wherein all of the interlocking interfaces on the base are the first component and all of the interlocking interfaces on the lid are the second component.
 6. The container according to claim 1, wherein each of the lid and the base has at least three corners and two of the at least three corners of the lid comprise one selected from the group consisting of the first component and the second component, and two of the at least three corners of the base comprise the other one from the group consisting of the first component and the second component.
 7. The container according to claim 1, wherein the respective opposing portions of the lid and base comprise four longitudinally extending bosses on the base and four longitudinally extending folding tabs on the lid.
 8. The container according to claim 1, wherein each of the base and the lid is made of molded pulp and/or a thermoformed plastic material.
 9. The container according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the lid and base is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of molded pulp fiber, PP, PET and PS.
 10. The container according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises one or more dividers that span across the base to creating separate compartments.
 11. The container according to claim 10, wherein the compartments are configured to provide a 50/50 division, a one-third to two-thirds division, or an evenly divided three-way division.
 12. The container according to claim 1, wherein the folding portion has an arcuate domed indentation that engages a respective boss.
 13. The container according to claim 1, wherein the folding portion has an opening that engages a respective boss.
 14. The container according to claim 1, wherein each of the folding portions is configured so as to be biased towards its disengaged position.
 15. A container, comprising: a lid; and a base, each of the lid and the base having at least one selected from the group consisting of a first and second component of an interlocking interface, the first component comprising a folding portion, and the second component comprising a boss, the folding portion having a receiving area dimensioned to receive the boss and being hingedly connected about a hinge to one of the lid and the base and movable about the hinge between a position of secure and releasable engagement with the boss and a position of disengagement with the boss, the boss being connected to the other of the base and lid, the boss and the folding portion being configured such that upon a closing engagement of the lid and the base, a respective portion of the periphery of the base has one of the folding portion and an opposing portion of the periphery of the lid has the other of the folding portion and the boss, so that the respective opposing portions of the lid and base are securely and releasably engageable with one another by manipulation of the respective folding portion over the respective boss, wherein the folding portion has an arcuate domed indentation that engages a respective boss.
 16. The container according to claim 15, wherein secure engagement of the boss and the folding portion is maintained by friction between the boss and the folding portion.
 17. The container according to claim 15, wherein the base and the lid are attached to one another by a connecting hinge
 18. The container according to claim 15, wherein each of the base and the lid is made of molded pulp and/or a thermoformed plastic material. 